Agricultural instrument



10637, 1927- c. SYMMES AGRI CULTURAL INSTRUMENT Filed March 1, 1921s 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 .l I 1 I -1 ga wmtoz l June 927 c. D. SYMMES AGRICULTURAL INSTRUMENT Filed March 1, 1926 5 {Sheets-Sheet 2 operations may be Patented June 7, 1927.

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aemo mcmr 'r-uT 'T'R My invention has for its object to p'rovide a :rne'ans *for supporting a: worker on vegetationwhile performing work of a more or less delicate nature over i the surface of the ground, such as, thinning of plants or planting smallrplants,jalid in such a position that he will 'be able to pickor handle the plants or "manipulate a hoe or cutter or other device for planting, trimming, cutting, or 1 otherwise treating vegetation. I'The support is preferably in the form-of'a vehicle'that may be'drawni along" rows of vegetation. If 'desired; it 'ni-aybe used ,atrailer to any agricultural implem ent or'it 1n ay be pushed in advance of another agricultural .instrument whereby operations may: be performed in conjunction with such'ot'her instruments.

Afstructure containing my invention is preferably provided with means whereon the operator may lie face down, means being provided for supporting his forehead at a point slightly below the level of the part of the device that supports the body and'so as to give him a good vision over the area that can reach with his arms or the implements or implement that he uses. It is also preferably provided with a foot bar or other device so that he will be able to engage the bar with his feet and aid him in his movements in rapidly performing his operations on the vegetation, such as, thinning rows to form single separated plants, or separated clusters and to pick the weaker or defective plants. The invention may be used fo planting and other operations that are usually done by hand. It provides a means wherebyv such performed with dispatch and with ease.

The invention may be contained in structures of different forms,'and to illustrate a practical application of theinvention, I have selected a structure that contains the invention as an example of such structures and shall describe it hereinafter. The structure selected is shown in the accompanying drawmgs V V Figure 1 is a perspective view of the agricultural implement. Fig. 2 is a view of one corner of the instrument showing the head rest. Fig. 3 is a view of another corner of the instrument showing the foot bar. Fig. 4 is a top view of the headrest and'Fig. ,5 is a view of a section showing the adjustable connection of the foot bar. Fig. 6 is a view .Of one of the wheels that support the'instruor body; "of the instrument.

performed winanually;v The "platform 1 is inent, part being shown inrsection. Fig. '17 isaa bottom view of"a: part{of the platform (drawings, a platform is suitably mounted on i i'vheels'whereby'it may be Fdrawnover the ground while the agricultural operations are being performed,f'such as planting or. thin ni ng oriother' Operations. that *arewusually} suitably supported on-the wheels 2. yThe= wheels are preferably caste'rewhe'elsi and are pivotally connected to the yokes 3 that are adjustably secured to' the rodor. pipe Ar-as I shown inFi-gi 6'by meansof the 'boltfi which int-he IOCll. Therod4- mayextend through braces Q't'hat'are; cofnnectedQto.the' bot-tom of p the platform 1. The rod 4 also extendsinto the sleeve 10. A. spring 11 is located intermediate the brace 9 and the yoke '3 where by the platform l will be yieldingly supported by means of the springs 11. a

A suitable cushion member 15 may be located on the platform'l for supporting the body of the operator. In the form of construction shown, the implement is made sufficiently wide to cover aplurality of parallel rows of vegetation and so as to support two operators that may work on four rowsor as many more as may be desired, within, of

course, thelimitations of the device, and acj cording to the distance between the rows Any'form of cushion. device maybe used 1 may be insertedinto the base ofeaoh yoke B and: through any one of theihole'si8forined which will enable the operators to work'the desired length of time eachday. The operators'liegupon the cushion device 15 face down and their foreheads rest upon the straps 16 that are looped around the ends of the brackets 17 which are secured tojtheplatv form 1. The-straps 16- in each case will support the forehead slightly below the level of the cushion supporting means-in order to give to the operator good vision of therows of vegetation through the spacebetween the brackets 17 the straps 16 and the platform and its cushioned part 15."

The platform and the cushionpart are also provided with recesses 1,8 toreceive the 1 arms of the operator and so as to enable him to reach in all directions with both arms andperform such operations 'on the vegetation as is intended while the agricultural implement is being drawn over, the

ground; Also a footbar 20-is secured at"v 'strapsor staple members 23 --to theunderside of the platform 1.

ibracl tetmen'i'ber 22 is provided with a pluralityrof openings 24' and alloolt or pin'25.

I any one OI the rear end of the implement and inposition so that, the operator can readily engage "the bar, particularly, between the heeland the sole of the shoe, Which Will enable him to manipulate his trunk so as tomake such movements as may be desired withreference T to the planting or treating of "the vegeta- 'tion. A plurality of recesses21 may alsojloedisposed along the rear edge or end of the platform for receiving the feet of the opare secured to the foot bar and extend into that are bolted Each may be dropped through the platform and i the holes 24 and through the hole 26 that is formed in the strap 23. Thus the footobar 20 may be placed more or less re- *mote from the rear edge of the platform,

11 claim: V 1; In a vehicle, a platform part for supporting a vegetation operator face down, a

pair of arms connected to one end of the platform and flexible strap. connecting theends of the arms and forming a forehead side of the forehead support for receiving the arms of the operator, the platform operating to support the chest of the operator hile'usingfhisarms in manipulating the soil.

30 support for the operator, the platform supporting part'having a recess located on each 2. In a vehicle, a platform part, for supporting a vegetation operator face do\vn,--a

forehead support connected to the platform and Xtending' from one end of the platform,

the plane of the forehead support part hcving located below theplaneof the platform supporting part, the platform supporting part having a recesslocated on each side of the forehead supporting part for receiv:

engagement of the feet of the operator, lo-

cated along the rear edge'of the platform, 1

the rear edge portion of the platform having'recesses for receiving the feetof the operator.

' In testimony whereof; I have hereunto i signed my name tothis Sp6C1fiCat1QD, v

CHARLES D. sYMMEs.

.ing the arms of; the operator, a foothar for 

